


Newcomer

by sktsnation



Category: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020), Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Gen, I'm a whore for crossovers, Noctis and Cloud don't get along very well in this fic, This is post FF7 Remake Part 1, and Before the Chocobros leave for Altissia, they're both emo boys and there's only one spot in the group for it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:35:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23720941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sktsnation/pseuds/sktsnation
Summary: First there was light, then there was a stranger standing before them. (Alternatively, AU where Noctis shows up before Cloud and the others on their way to Kalm, in the same fashion he showed up in Dissidia NT)
Comments: 34
Kudos: 99





	1. Let There Be Light, And Thus He Landed On His Ass

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, I come bearing a crossover between FFXV and FFVII. Enjoy.

“Tell me again, just so we’re on the same page. How did you end up here?”

Noctis sighed the umpteenth time that day, tongue tired from all the retelling he’d done to support the fact that he, the Crown Prince to the Lucian throne and the fated King of Kings, was not from this world.

Wherever _this_ was.

“I was sleeping at the back of our car—”

“Yes, I understood that part.”

The young prince glared at the swordsman before him, clearly disliking being interrupted. “ _Then,_ a bright light woke me up and –as you’ve seen— I fell on my ass.”

Cloud stroked his chin, deep in thought. After leaving Midgar, he and the rest of group decided to head to Kalm for the time being to gather their bearings and come up with a plan of action. Their recent run-in with Sephiroth left everyone completely exhausted and their stock of curatives had been all but used up. Only a handful of potions and ethers were left, just enough to heal the surface wounds they’ve earned during the fight, but even then, it wouldn’t be enough for all the members of their rag-tag party. Hence Kalm, to rest and to restock.

On the way to their destination, past the Midgar Wastelands and just before the marshlands where the infamous Midgar Zolom resided, the group was suddenly blinded by a bright light, and when it disappeared, this person person – Noctis, he introduced – ended up standing before them.

Luckily, the group had been momentarily blinded for a few seconds and Noctis was too off his kilter to act, that no hostile encounter occurred on the spot.

Cloud couldn’t shake off his suspicions, though. Their fight with Sephiroth was recent, like not even a day ago kind of recent, his senses were still on high alert, and the sudden appearance of a stranger out of nowhere (like Sephiroth) made him tense. It didn’t matter that the stranger looked normal and unsuspecting with all the dark clothes.

A gloved hand tapped his shoulders, snapping the young blonde from his internal musings. “Cloud?” Turning his head to the voice, his eyes met Tifa’s and he noted the slight crease on her brows.

“You okay?” she asked him. “We lost you again.”

Shaking his head, he waved her concern off. “I’m fine. Just thinking what to do with Prince Charming here.” He jerked his head to the newcomer.

“Hey.” Noctis scowled. “I have ears that can hear. Watch it.”

“Hn. Whatever.”

Noctis made a show to pull his sleeves up and flexed, “I’ll show you whatever—”

“ _So—”_ Aerith clapped her hands together loudly, effectively calling the attention of everyone, stalling the manly muscle flexing that would have happened if no one intervened. “Our first priority is shelter. We need a place to rest and the nearest town to Midgar is Kalm –Barret!”

Barret blinked. “What?”

Barret was the leader of AVALANCHE and the eldest in the group, but right now, he was more than content to watch Cloud get his face bashed in. Aerith decided that she might as well step up and make the decisions since no one, not even their most mature member, was taking the initiative. First, she needed the two _boys_ ten feet apart. The Cetra sent Barret her best threatening look she could muster and gestured to the two who were now face-to-face.

Barret grumbled in disappointment.

“Tifa?” She turned to their resident brawler. “Any idea how longer we need to walk to Kalm?”

Tifa looked at the horizon where Midgar disappeared and turned her head to Kalm’s general direction. Ever since Zangan brought here to Midgar, she’d been making ends meet as a barmaid that she never found the opportunity to leave the slums. Except for one instance. A year ago, their supplier from Kalm fell severely ill that caused a delay in delivering her goods. Waiting would have been detrimental to Seventh Heaven’s business so she opted to travel to Kalm and pick-up the supplies instead.

“A few more hours of walk,” Tifa squinted at the sky, “we’ll probably reach there before sundown.”

“Oh, I was hoping it was nearer.”

“Sorry. I just answered based on what I remembered.”

_“Hey!”_

_“Barret, get off!”_

Tifa and Aerith shifted their attention to the two men, who were most definitely ten feet apart, but were now also on the ground. Cloud was lying on his back, his face turning a worrying shade of blue as Barret sat and settled his entire weight on top his stomach. Noctis on the other hand was lying face first, his cheeks pressed up against the dirt, looking completely horrified at Red who was sitting on his back, his tail flicking back and forth to show his mirth.

Tifa crossed her arms and leaned back to appreciate the scene.

Aerith was rightfully distressed.

“ _I didn’t say you should sit on them!”_

“Bah!” Barret waved his hands. “We got the job done. They’re calm.”

Aerith watched as Cloud, still blue in the face, weakly raised his hand and patted the ground in defeat. “I’ll behave.”

“S-same! Just get _this_ off me.”

“I have a name, _boy_.”

Noctis’ eyes visibly widened at the talking animal and his gaze fell to the ground in shock. Barret guffawed at the insulted expression on Red’s face when the prince grumbled ‘ _Great, the monster talks’_ under his breath.

As far as Aerith was concerned, they were wasting time. The sun was beginning to lean to the west. “Guys! We need to go. It’s past noon now and frankly, I’m in need of a warm shower –which we don’t have unless we go to an inn. In Kalm. Which is still _far away_.”

“Ditto.” Tifa agreed, then turned to Noctis. “I don’t know how we could help you but you’re welcome to come with us for the meantime.”

Noctis realized an offer when he heard it. “Sure. I’ve got time to kill.”

“Aww, cheeky.” She cooed.

At the side, Cloud shoved off Barret.


	2. Sadly Saddled with Travelling Strangers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All he wanted was rest. Sadly, that wasn't the plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your kind words and kudos. :) Here's the next chapter for Newcomer!

Kalm was so… _calm_.

Oh, Ignis would have appreciated that pun if he were here.

But he wasn’t.

And so was Gladio and Prompto. _Damn_.

Why was he even here? Like, seriously, wasn’t he foreordained by the stars to fulfill a prophecy to rid his world of the darkness, or something like that? Being thrown out into a world far different from his own wasn’t exactly conducive to that.

Noctis watched as a two-story building drew closer to them and assumed that it was the inn, if the foot traffic at the entrance and the signage hanging outside were anything to go by.

They’ve finally arrived at Kalm with no other inter-dimensional hurdles (him), much to Aerith’s pleasure, her hope for a warm shower now a reality. Halfway through their journey to the town, she started handing out tasks for each member to manage once they booked a room in the inn and settled down.

_“The quicker we replenish our funds and our items, the quicker we can hash out a plan.”_

Aerith’s plan was simple.

Upon arriving, she and Red were to stay hidden in the inn, in case there were any Shinra troops deployed within the area, Cloud and Barret were to go monster hunting in the area for money, and since Tifa knew the town better than any of them, she would be the one to restock their inventory.

He didn’t know where he belonged in that plan of theirs, but he was grateful for their presence nonetheless, at least didn’t end up wandering the wastelands alone tonight.

Since he had been cruelly dragged away from his world (and by extension, his sleep), he silently hoped that he would be staying in the inn as well since arriving here hadn't exactly been a smooth ride. His knee even began to chafe a little. So, when he felt a gloved hand grab his collar and started dragging him away from the inn, all the way to the other side of town, all he could do was look to the sky and hope for Ramuh’s Judgement Bolt to strike him down.

“Please wipe that look on your face.” Tifa said to him.

“I don’t have a look _._ ” How could she even tell? She was walking a few paces before him. “You can’t even see my face.”

“I can feel you moping behind me.”

“Doesn’t mean I have a _look_.”

“Please,” He heard her scoff, “you have a look.”

“Frankly, your confidence in saying that insults me.” Noctis matched Tifa’s pace and was now walking alongside her. “Where are we going anyway?”

“We need to restock our supply of curatives before travelling again and Kalm has a merchandise store that sells exactly what we need. We’re down to absolutely nothing after blowing through our supplies back in Midgar.”

Yes, he knew perfectly what a Midgar was. Based on context though, it was probably the place they came from.

“You guys are travelers?” Noctis inwardly winced. He landed himself in a group who frequents the roads? Just his luck. “After here, where to next? How are you gonna go around?”

“We haven’t planned that far yet… and on foot, I guess? Or on Chocobo, if we’re lucky to find some.”

Noctis was a man well-versed in the art of going around. He, Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto had been waddling through rivers and trekking through forests for his forebear’s weapons like men on a mission, so his stamina could probably go toe-to-toe against them should they decide to go—

What was he thinking? That was an outright lie. His stamina was shit, only coming second to Prompto, and that’s solely because his friend grew up with a normal upbringing and hadn’t been trained like Ignis and Gladio. Noctis was the quintessential homebody who had been forced on an adventure (not by his own design) and loved to sleep the day away at the back of the Regalia. Sadly, there was no Regalia here to leisurely carry them to their destination.

The duo continued walking until they reached a stone tunnel entrance. The landmark seemed familiar to Tifa which caused her to look around, certain that the way to the market place was nearby. She could already hear the bustling street and the smell of the street food wafting in the air.

“We lost?” Asked Noctis. They’ve been in this position for a full minute now.

“Not lost… just remembering the way.”

“That’s what a lost person would say.”

Tifa shot him an aggravated look. “We’re nearby, okay? And it’s been a year since I came here. Besides,” She pointed a finger at him, “you don’t get to say anything because you haven’t been here _at all_.”

“Touche.” Said Noctis, shrugging.

“Let’s just ask a local for directions, for sure they— oh! There it is!”

Noctis followed Tifa’s gaze and saw an old cobblestone staircase attached to a wall which led to the upper streets of Kalm.

“You think it’s there? You’re not just saving face for getting us lost?” He quipped, which earned him a light punch to the shoulders from Tifa.

“You’re lucky I’m the one here and not Cloud.”

He held his hands up in mock defeat. “I’ll behave. Let’s go.”

Tifa jogged up the stairs with ease while Noctis eyed them with great dismay, already dreading the soreness he’d be subjecting his legs tomorrow. Ah, just the thought of climbing made his knees flare up. He braced a hand against the wall and took slow, deliberate steps to ensure he didn’t apply too much pressure on his bad knee. He probably looked weird ambling up the stairs this way, but he really didn’t need joint pains on top of everything that happened today.

“Hurry up!” Tifa called from atop of the staircase.

He waved her away, a silent gesture which meant she should move on ahead.

Brows raised and arms crossed, Tifa observed her companion slowly climb the steps. His movements were reminiscent of how she would drag herself home after a rigorous training session when her body hurt like hell. Realization struck when she heard Noctis release a pained grunt.

Compelled by manners and guilt for not noticing sooner, she came down to meet him halfway and offered an arm to hold on to should he need it.

“I didn’t know you had trouble walking. I’m sorry.”

“Nah. I’m as healthy as the next person,” Noctis gripped her arms and his journey up the stairs became easier, “my knees just decided it was time to remind me of an old injury.”

“This happens regularly?”

“Not as frequent as when I was a child. Landing in a faraway world isn’t exactly a pleasant experience, and it’s just my luck that I have the added misfortune of an old injury flaring up.”

He was _finally_ up the stairs, thanks to Tifa, and was led to sit down on a crate. Leaning down, he massaged the muscles to alleviate some of the pain.

“Stay right there,” Tifa instructed, “the store’s right over there. I’ll just pop in quickly and buy what we need and then we can go back to the inn. You good?”

“Perfect.”

“Do you need a potion for that?” Tifa asked, jutting her chin at his knee.

Potion? Is that what she meant by curatives? Noctis pulled out a small vial from his pocket and showed it to her. “Do you mean like this?”

The brunette took the proffered item and brought it up to her face, examining the liquid inside as she swirled the bottle. She pulled the stopper and caught a whiff of the smell.

“Huh.” She blinked. Would you look at that. “You have a potion.”

“I do have a potion.”

“It smells like the expensive kind.”

“I’m an expensive man.”

Rolling her eyes, Tifa handed the vial back to him. “On second thought, I don’t think it’s wise to use potions on an old injury, especially if it’s been healed before. The natural method should work just fine.”

“And that is?”

“Hot compress and a good night’s rest?”

Noctis deadpanned, “What am I? Menstruating?”

“Oh, never mind. Suffer in pain for all I care.” Tifa huffed and walked to the store.


	3. Gil is Not a Problem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of course, he's a prince.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for waiting! Have another one. :)

Monster hunting had always been a high-risk trade, but it paid well enough for those wanting to make ends meet. To Cloud and Barret, who both had the requisite muscle and mettle to undertake such hazard, a quick session outside of Kalm was enough to earn them 10,000 Gil. A good enough amount to help them tide over until they passed through the Mythril Mines and reached the next town. The pair haven’t said anything about the mines yet to the group, having learned about it just before they set outside, but a man warned them about a scary looking guy headed to the marshlands, just east of Kalm. When Barret asked for a description, the man’s answer resembled closely to Sephiroth: long black cape, long silver hair, and a long killer sword.

“Damn,” muttered Barret, looking grimly at the general direction of the marshlands, “with the way that man talked about Sephiroth, you’d think he was either completely terrified or highly aroused.”

“Both extreme ends of the spectrum.”

A chorus of low growls from a herd of  _ Eldafunks _ cut their conversation short. Barret charged his gun and blasted a  _ focused shot _ against the attacking herd, eliminating most of them with a single blow, save for a stray survivor who bolted away. Cloud was quick to strike it down and soon enough, he and Barret were the only ones remaining standing.

“That’s all of them.” The gunslinger announced as he relaxed his mechanic arm, pulling it down to his side. “Let’s go back.”

On cue, Cloud’s phone beeped. The blonde fished out the phone from his pants pocket and read the text from Tifa aloud. “‘ _ Just arrived at the inn. There’s dinner for everyone here so come back soon, okay?’ _ ”

“Ah! Just in time.” Barret patted his stomach. “I’m shit low on fuel.”

The duo strolled back to the inn in a leisurely pace, their pockets heavy with the reward they just claimed from Kalm’s local neighborhood watch.

“Let’s take it easy for the rest of the night.” Cloud suggested, cutting the silence between him and Barret.

“Why?”

“Who knows what we’re up to tomorrow. It’s best we leave the inn well rested.” Something associated with Sephiroth should not be taken lightly. They would need the strength to face whatever it is thrown at them. 

“I’m with you there,” Barret agreed, “but don’t you think we should ask the newcomer about himself? That boy is probably confused at everything around him right now.” Cloud grimaced at his Barret’s reference to Noctis. To be fairly honest, he completely forgot about their new addition to the team once they started hunting. He still forgot about him when Tifa sent him a text about her arriving at the inn.

Seeing the look on Cloud’s face, Barret barked out a laugh. “Out of sight, out of mind, eh? He got under your skin that badly?”

Cloud frowned. “It’s nothing personal, I just don’t like people popping out of nowhere.” His arrival was eerily reminiscent of Sephiroth appearing everywhere just to haunt him. It didn’t help that his appearance came only a day after their fight with the one-winged angel. Scratch that, people suddenly appearing out of nowhere unsettled him in general.

“True,” Barret nodded in agreement. He had a point there. “but prince charming doesn’t look like he shares the same fondness for mass destruction, so I think we’re good.”

“Still.” It’d take time for him to be comfortable around the man.

By the time Cloud and Barret returned to the inn, the sun was already halfway through disappearing in the horizon and the streetlights had already flickered open. Upon entering the room, the two were welcomed by the savory scent of dinner that it was no surprise Barret’s stomach started growling the moment he inhaled the smell.

“It's like a topside restaurant here.” Everyone turned their heads to the doorway and offered varying versions of ‘welcome back’ to the two. Closing the door, Barret gave a quick thank you to Aerith who came over to hand them their dinner. The large man tore open the take-out container and quickly shoveled the food into his mouth, moaning in delight when the tender chicken melted in his tongue and teased his palate. “ _ Oh _ , that was good!”

Cloud politely took the food Aerith, offering her a simple ‘thank you’, and sat on the foot of the bed before he began eating.

Moments later, he felt the bed dip and was surprised to see Tifa sitting beside him.

“Is it good?” Asked the brunette, eagerly waiting for his reply. Cloud took another bite of the food, chewing slowly and letting his palate savor the taste. The perfect mix of chicken and spices sparked something familiar in his mind.

Cloud nodded. “It tastes like—”

“The chicken roast Auntie Claudia used to make back home?”

_ Oh _ . It did taste like that. Cloud blinked down at the food on his lap and smiled. He scooped another spoonful and relished in the nostalgia partying his mouth.

“Where’d you buy this?”

“There’s a food center at the market. We happened to pass by this one stall that sells – and I quote –  _ ‘exotic’ _ food.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s not even exotic. Now, the Nibel Blood Stew –  _ that’s _ exotic.”

“Vendor must’ve wanted the crowd.”

“Right!” exclaimed Tifa. “It worked though. There was a queue when I ordered.” Cloud looked over to his friend and noticed that she wasn’t eating. She didn’t even have anything in her hands.

“You ate?”

“Yea. Noctis and I went trigger-happy with the street food back at the market.”

Cloud frowned at her. “I thought we’re pinching Gil?” That’s why he and Barret were out hunting.

His words stunned Tifa, who seemed to remember something. “Oh yeah, about that. We have money.”

“Come again?”

Tifa turned away and checked on everyone. Maybe now was the right moment to announce something. She and Noctis exchanged a look, to which the raven-haired man shrugged, silently agreeing and telling her to go on. She raised a challenging brow at him. He’s really going to let her talk when it’s him that’s the topic?

She called everyone’s attention. “Can I say something while everyone’s still eating?”

They all nodded their heads.

“Oh, wait. I think it’s better if Noctis explains it himself.” Tifa turned to Noctis and sent him a thumbs up. The young prince closed his eyes and sighed, frowning as the burden of explaining suddenly fell onto him. He should have seen this coming. Either way, he carried the conversation and explained to them their current finances.

“Tifa and I were out buying supplies earlier, right? Well, the topic on curatives came up when she asked me if I needed a potion for my leg. It’s okay now, by the way,” Noctis quickly added the last part when he saw the concerned look Aerith was giving him. “Well, to summarize, we found few similarities between our worlds that led us to think that maybe even the currency was the same. Guess what?”

“It was?” Red guessed. Noctis gave him a stiff nod, still uneased at the presence of a talking animal. He really should move on from that. If Prompto were him, he would’ve befriended him already.

“Right. So, Tifa paid for the supplies using the money – just to try our theory out – and they just took it. Apparently, Gil is Gil, wherever you are.”

“How much Gil are we talking about?”

“Hold on,” He held up a hand. He recalled hunting for Wyverns in the area near the Rock of Ravatogh a few days ago and splitting the reward with Ignis, Prompto, and Gladio. How many did they kill? A lot. That, plus the current pocket money he had…

“Around 80,000 Gil? Around that amount, I think.”

_ “Fuck!” _

_ “That much?!” _


	4. The Start of Something

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy the new chapter!

Later that night, after supper has truly ended, and before everyone settled into the comfort of their beds, Cloud finally told them about Sephiroth. He told them about the mines, about what the man who saw him said, and about their plans to go after him. Steely determination replaced the fatigue that threatened to lure them to sleep, and the grim expression on their faces keyed Noctis about the gravity of the situation. This person, whoever he was, was bad news.

"Who's he?" He couldn't help but ask.

"Someone who's supposed to be dead." It was the only answer Cloud gave him. It wasn't enough, though. He would be traveling with them until he found a way home, or until he miraculously woke up at the back of the Regalia again and realize that this was all a fever dream. But no, this wasn't a dream. He needed to know so he could be prepared.

He couldn't _not_ _know_ again.

"I need to be informed." Noctis scowled at Cloud. "I know nothing about this place and if I'm coming along with you guys, I need to know who this guy is and what I can do to assist."

"His name is Sephiroth," Aerith answered. Noctis turned to her and suddenly felt conscious as deep green eyes bore into his soul, all-seeing and unnerving like she knew what laid ahead of him. "He used to be in SOLDIER, like Cloud, but something happened that caused him to be like this, but…" Aerith shook her head, "…everything about that man is _wrong_. We don't know the full extent of his plans, but should he be left alone, then it's safe to assume that it won't go very well for all the souls on this planet."

Tifa had been silent for some time, content in listening to the conversation, but something about their encounter floated at the forefront of her mind.

"I think…" she started, calling the attention of everyone, "...he's planning on bringing something down on us. I— My memory's a bit hazy right now but I think I remember seeing a vision of something large coming down at us. So large… it covered the sky."

Aerith frowned, remembering a different vision altogether. About a suicidal last stand.

"Then we stop the bastard," Barret growled. "We put an end to him before he even begins."

"I don't think it works that way Barret," Aerith argued, then she turned to Cloud. "When you crossed swords with him, did something happen? You fell unconscious for some time, and when you woke… you looked haunted."

At her question, Cloud fell silent and tried to remember what Sephiroth had told him. He remembered a place… an edge of something. He couldn't… what did he say? Sephiroth told him to be what? The memory was playing at the fringes of his mind, but he can't fully recall what they were. He remembered attacking at different angles, and Sephiroth just standing there while lazily deflecting all his attacks. There was something about a warning, a countdown—

 _Careful now "—_ that which lies ahead… does not yet exist…"

Tifa gasped, panic gripping at her chest. "That— he knows what's going to happen then?"

"I—I honestly don't know." Cloud raised his hands to massage his temples. Remembering hurt his mind.

Noctis watched the tense conversation before him. His main takeaway was that Sephiroth was an Ardyn-level kind of bad and was totally on board with mass destruction.

Bad guy, bad for the planet. Got it.

"And why are we going to the what-mines?" He asked the group.

"Mythril Mines," Aerith supplied, "from what Cloud just said, Sephiroth passed through it. We're going after him and since the lead is still fresh, he could still be close by to track down." The worried look in her eyes told him it was unlikely to happen, though.

Noctis sent her a smile as thanks for the explanation.

"Pack your stuff and sleep," Cloud instructed. "We leave at dawn."

They left the inn the moment the sun peeked through the horizon. Noctis noticed that the group moved quickly when they had one goal in mind. He didn't know if they had been a unit together for a long time, or the circumstances pushed them to move as one, but he was awestruck at their efficiency. There was banter, of course, especially between the big guy – Barret, he recalled – and Cloud. Sometimes, Tifa would cut in and chastise the two men into silence, but they'd resume once someone drops a comment hinting against the other.

They traveled via Chocobo and it took them under three hours to reach the marshlands. By the time they arrived, the Midgar Zolom had already been impaled and left for dead, which left them with no hurdles to cross, but no one left undisturbed by the sight. Noctis noticed the grim look on Cloud's expression, and the look Barret and Tifa shared. Aerith was regarding the slain monster with thinly veiled fear while Red sniffed around the place to gauge how long Sephiroth had passed through the place.

"It's been a day. Had we left last night, we could have caught him."

Cloud shook his head. "We were too tired from fighting and traveling, we wouldn't have stood a chance." He looked past the mountain range as if Sephiroth was waiting on the other side. "C'mon. Let's go."

The following days had been mind-numbing. The routine became too repetitive that the hours began to blur for Noctis.

Wake up. Trek. Fight. Rest. Trek. Fight. Trek. Fight. Sleep. Wake up.

They've done nothing but trek throughout the day and fight whatever monsters came their way. Nights were comfortable but silent, and it made him wish for the campfire dinners Ignis regularly whipped up when they set-up camp at a haven.

It was during nights over the campfire that Noctis tried to break into the group and chip away his newcomer status little by little. He'd talk to Tifa about her fighting style. He's never encountered anyone who preferred to fight using their fists, not even back home where people well-versed in combat surrounded him. He'd talk to Barret about the machine on his arm. He was met with a cold glare, so he swiftly maneuvered the topic to monsters he'd fought on the road. He'd talk to Aerith and ask questions about her magic; how they could summon magic without using elemental shards.

He found himself explaining to the group that night how he came from a long line of protectors of a Crystal that was meant to protect their kingdom from darkness and how this bloodline granted him the ability to siphon elemental energy from the earth and cast them into magic.

"Huh," Barret blinked, "power's kinda exclusive, don't you think?"

"It is." Noctis nodded. "It's an unfair advantage over my friends who are better fighters than I am, but they can only wield weapons whereas I can probably burn or freeze a monster to death. It's hard to explain without showing you, but I can contain them in a flask so they can use them? Guess that's different from Materia. Accessible to everyone? No discrimination in royal blood?"

Aerith once explained to him that materia was a crystallized form of mako, to which she followed by explaining that mako was the liquid form of the Lifestream. He remembered the confusion and his pitiful attempts to understand everything that she eventually sat him down and explained from the very beginning. About Ancients, the Lifestream – about their world essentially.

"What's your part in all of these?" He'd asked her then. "Being the 'last and only' must mean something, right? Something special?" He knew of the burden an _'only'_ carried, as he was also the only person to wield Crystal's power.

"I guess I am."

Aerith replied, quietly, more to herself than to him.

And here he thought the Crystal and the Kings of Yore were complicated.

* * *

Noctis hasn't summoned his arsenal of weapons yet since Cloud, Barret, and Tifa had enough muscle to take care of the monsters for the group. He didn't like staying away whenever there was a fight, but Red had made a very compelling argument that he should wait until he's learned the nuances of living in their world before joining the fray. What he knew back in his world wouldn't necessarily be the same here despite having noted some similarities. So, he reluctantly stood at the back, cataloging each monster they came across, and helped Aerith with healing scrapes and wounds even though the extent of his knowledge regarding healing only covered potions and elixirs.

Aerith, he observed, seldomly fought but regularly utilized her healing magic. He'd seen her cast a few spells over the trio after a particularly nasty battle, and she was impressively good at it.

There was something about her magic that always captured his attention for some unknown reason.

He'd seen her fight before, and there was no doubt that she was a remarkable individual. However, while Aerith dished out offensive spells with great strength, it was nothing compared to the defensive and healing spells she seemed to favor, and that it was those spells that always lured his attention. He couldn't explain it perfectly, but there was something about the energy that radiated from her. If he were honest, it felt like the Wall that his father and forefathers maintained to keep Insomnia safe from Imperial forces.

Maybe it was related to her being an Ancient? He still didn't understand that part yet.

* * *

They reached Junon exactly a week after they left Kalm with little trouble apart from the regular monsters. He'd seen the city from afar, it looked modern, there was even a long mechanism protruding from the middle of the city, but what he's seeing now was the complete opposite. The place looked like a rural outpost, like Old Lestallum, but residential. To be honest, the place looked old, grey, and lifeless. There was an odd metal door braced to the stone wall at the back of town, guarded by what looked like a foot soldier, and based on the calculating look on Cloud's face, they needed to go through that.

"You see a way?"

"Probably, I'm not sure. I haven't been here before."

"Great." Noctis rested his hands on his hips and sighed. "Just great."

Cloud arched a challenging brow at him, "You're free to suggest a plan, _highness."_

Noctis raised a placating hand, surrendering. "I'll stay quiet, I'm good with that."

A loud monstrous screeching sliced through the idle atmosphere of the town, and soon, he and Cloud had their weapons drawn and were dashing through the streets towards the sound. The duo ran against the flow of people, trying to move as far away from the monster as possible, and soon reached the stone stairwell that led to the beach.

A young girl was lying unconscious by the sand, flanked by Aerith and Red, while Tifa and Barret struggled to fight the monster in the water.

 _"Tifa!"_ Cloud yelled when the monster conjured a water ball and trapped Tifa inside.

Tifa turned to them and waved them away, pointing to Aerith who was reviving the girl.

"Go to Aerith," Cloud told him.

Noctis watched as he pulled out the marble-sized spheres from his sword and replaced them with another set. He could hear Cloud muttering about magic attacks effective against a water-type monster. Barret could be seen standing a few feet away from Tifa, who was visibly weakening in the water sphere, shooting rounds of bullets at the water serpent. Barret's attacks didn't look very effective. The bullet shells would just slip against the monster's hide and fall to the sea.

"No." Cloud snapped his head up and narrowed his eyes at him. Noctis gripped the hilt of his forebear's longsword and drew it back before launching it into the air at the monster's direction. "Help your friends."

Then he disappeared in a flash of blue light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a comment, i'd like to read what you thought about the chapter :)


	5. An Ability Unveiled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis finally fights.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for waiting for the next chapter. Here you go! I hope you enjoy it. Let me know in the comments your reactions.

Within the blink of an eye, Noctis was gone and Cloud was left staring at the blank space before him. Before he even had time to process what just happened, a loud crystalline sound rang in the air by his left and he whipped his head to the source, eyes widening in surprise when he saw a series of blue holograms suspended in the air in the shape of Noctis heading towards the monster.

Cloud was caught speechless at the sight of him fighting. He was lithe and efficient in his attacks, most definitely a well-trained combatant, and he was essentially  _ flying _ through the air, though it seemed to have something to do with the way he threw his sword. He's never seen anyone fight like this. Sephiroth had a knack of appearing out of thin air, something he despised given the number of times that man mentally fucked him up, and though he was an outlier in every equation, Cloud fought against him enough to know that even he didn't move around like that.

“The  _ hell _ is going on here?! Why the fuck is prince charming flying?!” 

It was Barret’s loud voice that snapped Cloud back into focus. Looking at the duo fighting knee-deep by the shore, Cloud decided that Noctis needed no assistance and sprinted to Tifa, ready to cast _blizzara_ on the water bubble that kept her weakened and imprisoned. He watched Tifa prepare herself as he launched his attack and immediately caught her by the shoulders when she stumbled once the water bubble lost its form and splashed down.

He felt Tifa grip his hand in thanks before pulling away.

"Did you know about this?" She pointed at Noctis who was now wielding a weapon that was definitely not the one he had in his hand moments earlier. What had been a longsword in one hand now became a dual sword in each hand. How the hell?

Cloud shook his head. "He's never fought since he arrived, remember? I'm as surprised as you are. Barret,” Cloud turned to their resident gunslinger and pointed at the monster. “Can you—”

_ Screeeeeeeeeeeeeech. _

The beast bellowed in pain when Noctis sliced one of its appendages clean off. The sound was so loud that it caused the sea to ripple and create small swells on the water which lapped against the trio's legs.

Cloud assumed his battle position and poised his sword against the monster, his materia catching light against the afternoon sun. "You guys get out of the water. I'm casting thundaga on it." He jerked his head to the shore. "Go to Aerith. That girl's still unconscious."

"Noted." Tifa nodded and began to pull Barret away from the water, but not before telling him the same thing. "You be careful. One unconscious person is enough."

Cloud nodded and turned back to the fight, just in time to see an axe lodge itself onto the beast's neck. There was another flash of blue light as Noctis warped from the monster’s tail-end and reappeared next to the axe, dangling as his hand gripped tightly around the hilt.

The monster bellowed in pain as it thrashed around, causing Noctis to hold on to his weapon as he was flung all over the air. 

"Noctis!" Cloud yelled from the beach. The man in question heard him enough to look towards him.

"Strike its wings then fall back!" He followed up by pointing towards the metal structure behind him. "Go there."

Cloud saw him nod and took it that he understood.

Noctis craned his head to find the wings and shortly debated on what was the best weapon to use. Upon deciding that the Blade of the Mystic would make the cleanest cut, he returned the axe in favour of the longsword and warped towards the side of the monster.

The young prince jerked forward when a  _ fira  _ hit the other side of the monster, who was now thrashing around, moving erratically and threatening to throw him off balance. The flames were strong enough that he felt the heat licking his skin. His foot slipped and it was only due to his quick thinking that he managed to stab the monster with the sword to keep him upright.

"WAIT FOR MY SIGNAL!" He yelled at Cloud who was poised to hurl another attack. He cursed. "I SAID WAIT!"

"THEN MOVE!"

Irritation bubbled in his chest and Noctis used it to fuel his attack. He positioned himself near the wings of the monster and, with a loud battle cry, hacked it right off with one swift move of his blade. The beast let out a piercing shriek and began to fall to the water, but not before calling a large wave onto the shore.

Noctis warped away to the metal tower, high enough to avoid the crest of the wave. There was a moment of distress when he thought the wave would reach the beach where everyone was gathered, but it was quickly dispelled when Cloud cast  _ blizzaga _ to break the wave. 

Luckily, Aerith and the others had already gone to higher grounds and were now standing atop the stone staircase that led to the village.

Noctis turned to Cloud and saw him ready to attack. He summoned his own  _ thundaga _ , a spherical flask of contained elemental magic that he crafted back in Lestallum, and threw it at the beast. Both his and Cloud's attack collided against the fallen creature at the same time, and the beach was promptly covered in electric blue light that Noctis had to warp higher up the tower just to avoid the surplus of energy that crackled in the air.

They won, and now the monster laid defeated on the beachfront.

Noctis smirked, feeling victorious and relieved at the same time. He checked the areas for any other incoming assailants and when he was certain that no one would come avenging the monster, he warped back to shore.

* * *

Tifa watched as Noctis weaved through the air. She'd seen him in action today and to say that she was impressed was an understatement. He fought with numerous weapons, and he could call upon them with relevant ease. She'd often wondered how he fought since he never carried a weapon on him, and now she found her answer. Even though she fought with her hands, she knew it was an enviable ability.

"Oh no," she heard Aerith say. Tifa glanced at her direction and saw that her forehead was creased with worry.

"What is it?" She asked, mirroring the expression reflected on her face.

"I think they're about to fight," Aerith answered. Tifa frowned when Noctis warped right next to Cloud and furiously pulled at his collar. Cloud stabbed his sword on the sand and grabbed Noctis' wrist in a warning. Both men were snarling at each other.

"Oh shit, you're right. Aerith, can you and Red take the girl back? Barret might need to sit on someone again."

The worry disappeared from her friend's face and her eyes twinkled in amusement. "You'll tell me if that happens, right?"

"On my honour," Tifa grinned. She patted the girl in Barret’s hold and instructed him to transfer her to Aerith.

"There's an inn nearby," her friend said, "we'll check in first and wait for you there." Aerith and Red then went on ahead while Tifa and Barret returned to the beach where Noctis was barely restraining himself with irritation.

"Alright," she slapped Cloud's hand off of Noctis's arm which in return freed his turtleneck and pulled her childhood friend away by the arm. When he didn't budge, Tifa shot him an exasperated look until he acquiesced and put some distance between him and Noctis.

"What is wrong with you, Cloud? You're aggressive and confrontational." She hissed at him. Cloud looked affronted at her accusation and stammered a reply.

"B—but Tifa. I wasn't—"

"Save it. I'm disappointed in you — _ in both of you. _ " She gave Noctis a pointed look when she heard him scoff. "Yes. Even you too, Noctis. Why are you riling him up?"

" _ Me _ ?" His voice rose a bit higher. "I'm the one at fault here? He—" he jabbed a finger at the blonde's direction "— was the one who drew up a strategy but won't wait until after I follow through. He threw a fira at me—"

"At the monster."

" _ I was on the monster _ ! You couldn't wait? I wasn't even that far away from where you hit it."

Tifa slapped Cloud's shoulders and frowned. "You have to admit that was wrong. I saw you." She crossed her arms and sighed. "Why are you two always at each other's necks? Can't you find a common ground where you can be civil?"

"I can," Noctis answered. "I can't speak for blondie over there."

Tifa sighed once more and turned to Cloud. "Well?" She pressed him for an answer.

"I can be civil." He bit out. 

Tifa rolled her eyes at him. "At least let me believe it."

"I promise I'll be civil, Tifa."

Noctis crossed his arms and turned away. "Same here."

Barret rested his shoulders on both men's shoulders and gave them a warning squeeze. "At least give us a few days of peace before you break that promise, alright? We're all tired and we just saved a young girl from getting killed by a monster. Tifa?" 

The brunette turned her head to Barret. "Yeah. Let's go back."

When they returned to the inn. Aerith and Red had already bought dinner and set their meals on the table. The girl —  _ Priscilla _ , Aerith told the group — was back with her grandfather and was recuperating.

"Her grandpa asked us to come to their house tomorrow. I said yes and that we'll be there for lunch."

"Lunch?" Barret asked.

"It's either breakfast or lunch, and I'm sure you'd all prefer to sleep in tomorrow."

She did have a point there. The group spent the night snuggled comfortably under their covers and let sleep take over for the rest of the night.

* * *

Morning came and like clockwork, Noctis was the last to wake up.

"Wake up, boy." Red hopped on the young prince's bed and pawed at his back. The action startled Noctis awake, though still groggy, and Barret pulled the covers off his head.

"What Red said. Up." Barret held the covers open but Noctis just rolled over to his stomach and hid his head under the pillow.

"Buzz off." He groaned.

Red and Barret shared a mischievous look. The large man threw the covers over Noctis' back and gave the boy a false sense of sleep before Red jumped on his back.

"Up!" He growled. 

Noctis yelled into his pillow and shooed Red off the bed. He threw a middle finger at Barret then rubbed the sleep away from his eyes.

"I'm up."

"Good, Cloud and Tifa went out to buy breakfast earlier — like a few hours ago — and you're the only one who hasn't eaten yet."

Noctis dropped back to bed and tried to sleep once more but Barret had other plans for him; one which involved a large serving of pancakes and a tall glass of orange juice. He grabbed Noctis by the hand and hauled him up to his feet. He tried patting down the messy spikes in his hair but he promptly gave up when it won't flatten down.

"I can't believe I'm forcing an adult like you to eat. You're worse than my daughter."

"I won't even dignify that with a response."

Later, after Noctis had eaten and the table was cleared, Aerith came through the door holding a bag of supplies.

"Restocked." She held it up with a smile. "We have elixirs again." Aerith's eyes wandered to Noctis and examined him from head to toe. "You look like you need one — or five." 

Noctis scowled at her jab but he was inclined to agree. He was still tired. Sleeping all night and waking up late in the morning used to do wonders, but for some reason, it didn't give him the same amount of energy he needed. 

Aerith hummed as she crossed the room and placed her palm against his forehead to check his temperature. "You don't feel warm but you look pale. Potion or sleep?"

"Fucking sleep," he closed his eyes and sighed, "I want to sleep."

"Alright, there's still two hours before lunchtime. Go rest."


End file.
